Amanda Bynes:

Going “Robo”

by Lynn B

You may have watched perky, pretty and talented 18-year-old actress Amanda Bynes since she was a kid starring in her own “Amanda Show” on Nickelodeon. Or, maybe you are a more recent recruit to Amanda fandom, having caught her running around a studio lot with Frankie Muniz in Big Fat Liar or seen her English love story What a Girl Wants if you don’t regularly watch her TV show “What I Like About You”. Amanda is very adept at comedic timing and physical comedy.

So, how does such a comic genius gal manage to act with her voice alone? In the new animated feature Robots, Amanda plays Piper Pinwheeler, a hip yellow robot with metal pigtails who helps fellow ‘bots voiced by Ewan McGregor and Robin Williams save the day. This isn’t the first voice role for the actress. She was a babysitter on the “Rugrats” TV show and provided a voice for Charlotte’s Web 2.

Amanda took a break from filming her TV show in Los Angeles to chat with us about playing Piper in Robots, filming her TV show, her feelings about young actresses going wild in Hollywood and her upcoming romantic comedy film Lovewrecked. Who would Amanda like to have shipwrecked with her on a deserted island? Read on and find out…

AGW: You are a very physical comedienne. How hard was it to act with just your voice?

Amanda: It wasn’t that hard because, even though it was just my voice, they had a camera on me to catch all my different movements. They want the characters to resemble the person who does the voice as much as possible.

AGW: So you got to be as physical as you wanted?

Amanda: Yeah.

AGW: Did they change their drawing of the character after looking at you more?

Amanda: I think so except they drew her with those shower-head pigtails. I think we look alike. We both have green eyes and a round face. We both have brown hair that’s parted down the middle. Hers is metal but brown in color.

AGW: One of the messages in the film is “a dream you don’t fight for will haunt you for the rest of your life”. Do you agree and was acting always your dream?

Amanda: It wasn’t necessarily acting like in movies. I just always loved to perform so I just think it’s something you can’t escape when you love to do it that much. I was always doing plays and commercials and I think it’s just one of those things that you can’t fight. If I hadn’t done it, maybe it would have haunted me.

AGW: Do you have any of the toys of Piper Pinwheeler, your character?

Amanda: I actually have one of the toys but I want to get more because I’ve never been a toy before.

AGW: It’s cool that Piper gets to go into fight action with the guys. Do you think it’s important to portray girls as “save the day” characters?

Amanda: Yeah. But, I don’t think it has to be a girl. For me, a (save the day character) is anybody who has strength, boy or girl. I think, probably 20 years ago, guys dominated roles but nowadays they really give girls a shot too. So, that’s cool.

AGW: You never met any of the other voice actors while recording. How weird is that being in a room acting to a wall or just with somebody reading the other character’s lines to you?

Amanda: Well, there was a director there; Chris Wedge and he’s so talented. He created Ice Age and won an Academy Award for the short film Bunny. It was like working with an actor and he did all the different voices for me, acting them out.

AGW: I hear you started recording this ages ago. How young were you?

Amanda: It took over three years. I was fifteen when we started. Now I’m eighteen so it took three years. I was really excited. I couldn’t wait to see it.

AGW: What were your favorite cartoons on TV or animated films growing up?

Amanda: My favorite cartoons, I loved Nickelodeon shows (her “Amanda Show” was on Nick) but also loved The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast.

AGW: Weren’t you on the “Rugrats” TV show?

Amanda: Yeah. I played their babysitter. It’s so surreal to be able to do something on a show you watched. I was a kid when I watched ‘Rugrats’ and then I kind of grew up and then being able to be a voice on it is the weirdest thing.

AGW: You are artistic. Ever create or draw a cartoon or a comic character?

Amanda: No. I wasn’t into doing cartoons. I always loved drawing fashion and clothes but being able to watch this (Robots) and the whole process definitely inspired me. It’s so cool to be in it!

AGW: Will you do a commentary on the DVD for this film or have you already?

Amanda: No. We have not done the DVD yet but, if I’m asked, I’ll definitely do it.

AGW: What’s the best advice you were ever given and who gave it to you?

Amanda: Well, my mom’s favorite line is “This too shall pass”. For problems, it’s so nice to know that it will go away.

AGW: How have you managed to be classified as a hot young actress without getting in the tabloids for clubbing too much and getting too raunchy?

Amanda: I think, when I go have fun or go out to a party, I just don’t go and take pictures. As much as people say they hate it, I think you are still posing. There are ways to go and have fun. I just don’t want to get drunk and embarrass myself or my family so I just try to be realistic, be real. I just try to be a good person.

AGW: You have another film coming out, Lovewrecked. What is that about and who do you play?

Amanda: I play Jenny Taylor and she is this girl who gets stuck on this deserted island with her idol who is like this rock star. But, she actually finds out that they are on the other side of a resort. They’re not deserted but she just doesn’t let him know. She still makes him think they’ve been deserted. If you were in the same position, wouldn’t you do the same?

AGW: Sure. But, if that were you, who is the guy you would be stuck with?

Amanda: Orlando Bloom is sooo good looking and gorgeous. Also, I like Justin Timberlake. I think he’s so talented.

AGW: Excellent choices. Who are you dying to work with?

Amanda: Steven Spielberg is an obvious choice. I’d love to work with him or Tom Hanks.

AGW: You are still shooting your TV show “What I Like About You”? How many more episodes to you have to go?

Amanda: Next week’s our last week for our third season and then we’ll see if we come back for a 4th soon.

AGW: What is a message you would like to give to your fans?

Amanda: My advice is just to stay true to yourself and don’t let what other people say or think about you effect your life. That’s the best thing I can say.

	Angela & Gina's Room \| Brigid & Kayla's Room \| Christine & Erika's Room \| Lauren & Sarada's Room \| Circle of Friends PenPal Club \| Site Map
	Since 1996, your space on the web : written and edited by girls and teens from all over the world. Media Kit Feedback Newsletter Write FOR us Contact Us